If you’ve fallen away from God and want to come back, you can. The very fact that you have this desire is proof that God hasn’t given up on you. It is His kindness that you feel working in your heart; a kindness that purposes to lead you back to repentance (Romans 2: 4).

But understand that repentance is more than just an intention to change or reverse direction. Repentance, to be complete, is actually doing it. That requires leaning on the grace and strength of Jesus; accepting His leadership and guidance as Lord of your life.

Once He’s accepted again, one of the first things Jesus will do is to renew your mind to build your faith. He will do that by impressing upon you the need for a regular devotional life. Follow His lead by reading your Bible (at least a chapter a day) and praying every day. Yielding to this discipline will help push out the darkness from within, and will illumine your mind and heart with God’s longing for you.

Another leading of Jesus that you should be sure to follow is to rejoin the saints. For, as the good book says, the congregation will stimulate you to express God’s love and to do good works from within His righteousness. The assembly will encourage you to live as a conqueror over this world’s lusts and corruption (Hebrews 10: 24, 25).

So go with the sorrow you feel for having rebelled against the Lord. Confess your sins and ask for forgiveness. The Lord is close and is more than willing to forgive.

But do it now! Don’t wait. For you are not promised tomorrow or even the rest of the day.

Seek the Lord while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to the Lord, and He will have compassion on him…for He will abundantly pardon. Isaiah 55: 6, 7.